Once again this week I found myself searching for a new recipe, something I could make with chicken. Chicken is always so versatile, it’s like a blank slate, but figuring out what to do can be tricky sometimes.  Today’s chicken recipe is Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables and it comes from Fitness Magazine. It’s simple, easy, and has lots of flavor. Enjoy!

Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables Recipe

All you need:

• 1/4 cup bottled Italian salad dressing

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 12 ounces chicken breast tenderloins

• 10 ounces asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces, or 10-ounce package frozen cut asparagus, thawed and well drained

• 1 cup shredded carrot

• 1 small tomato, seeded and chopped

All you do:

Nutrition information (makes 4 servings):

Per serving: 271 calories, 22g protein, 12g carbohydrate, 15g fat (2g saturated), 2g fiber

Recently I was reading about foods that are considered to have a low GI – or a low glycemic index and how incorporating them into your diet can help you lose weight.  My first thought was, “is this another fad diet” or is this something we should be doing. Of course I’m no expert, but after looking into it, it appears as though it isn’t a fad diet. Instead, it’s just a way of eating that includes foods that will help keep you feeling full for longer. The whole theory behind a low GI diet is that the foods will slowly release sugar into your blood so that you have a steady supply of energy and you’ll feel satisfied for longer. Interesting, isn’t it?

Keep in mind though, some foods that have a low GI index are high in fat, so you’ll want to make sure you try to keep your fat intake to a minimum as well. So what foods are considered to be low GI? First you’ll need to know what the glycemic index range is.  A Low GI is 55 or less, a medium GI is 56-69, and a high GI is 70 or more.  This site has a great list of low, medium, and high GI foods broken down into different categories which is extremely helpful. Below are several examples of foods that have a low GI of 55 or under:

Yesterday we talked about a few things that you can do to keep the holiday weight off, so today I thought we’d look at ways you can make Thanksgiving dinner just a bit healthier and easier on your figure. Given the average Thanksgiving dinner has over 2,000 calories, eating healthy is key!

• Don’t show up to Thanksgiving dinner starving! You’ll eat a lot more.  Be sure to eat a great breakfast and if time allows, lunch. This will prevent you from overeating once all of that food is before your eyes.
• Fill your plate with veggies! If there are multiple vegetables, take some of each. Once your plate is half filled with veggies, choose a starch and leave room for that turkey.
• Limit high fat items — like gravy! Other items like green bean casserole and mashed potatoes are usually loaded with fat. If you’d like to indulge a little, be sure to do so in moderation.
• Portion-size – Keep an eye out for portion sizes! It’s easy to load up a big mound of potatoes and stuffing, so be conscious of what you’re putting on your plate.
• Choose a skinless piece of turkey – The skin of the turkey just provides you with fat and cholesterol which we all could do without.  Choose an appropriate portion of turkey… but leave the skin.

Here’s yet another reason that people should watch their weight and focus on eating healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. A recent report released by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research found is this: diets based upon fruits, vegetables and whole grains and that go easy on red meats, dairy products and fats protect against heart disease, diabetes and cancer. They also found that being as lean as possible (a healthy lean) by keeping your BMI between 21 and 23 is extremely important, as is exercise in keeping yourself cancer free.

Most people don’t understand ALL of the risks involved when they’re overweight or obese, especially the link between cancer. When asked what caused cancer, the participants in this study came up with all kinds of things.  71% thought it was the pesticide residue on produce, and 56% thought it was caused by stress. Neither has been proven to cause cancer. When you go to the grocery store next time, remember to fill your cart with foods that you know are good for you. Not only will they help you lose weight, they’ll also help protect you from cancer and other harmful diseases.

Source: Reuters (Cancer doesn’t “just happen”)

Yesterday we talked about how broth soups are generally good for us while cream soups are usually a no-no. Today I thought I’d post a recipe for “The ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup” from the October 2007 issue of O – Oprah’s Magazine.  This soup is made from scratch meaning you make your own stock! I haven’t tried it yet, but it sounds delicious and much better than what you can get out of a can.  The instructions say that the stock recipe makes more than what the soup recipe actually calls for, but you can freeze the leftovers for up to three months. With cold weather right around the corner, this healthy soup loaded with vegetables will be perfect for an arctic Winter day!

Oprah’s Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup – Serves 6 to 8

Stock:

• 1 whole chicken, halved and cleaned, plus 6 chicken wings
• 3 carrots, trimmed
• 1 onion, peeled
• 2 leeks, thoroughly rinsed
• 4 celery stalks
• 3 parsnips, trimmed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 1 whole lemon

Soup:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch coins
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 Tbsp. chopped dill
• 1 pound egg noodles
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the stock: In a large pot, combine all ingredients and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to the barest simmer and cook 4 hours, occasionally skimming the scum off the surface. Strain stock into a large bowl and discard solids except for chicken halves; set those aside.

To make soup: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook about 10 minutes. Add 6 cups stock. Cook 25 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender.

Meanwhile, pull chicken into shreds from reserved chicken halves; discard skin and bones. Add chicken to stock, along with dill and noodles and cook until noodles are al dente, 8 to 10 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (the stock is unsalted; it may need more than you think). Serve hot.

A few days ago we talked about the foods that are thought to be good for us, but only if we are mindful of how it’s prepared.  For example, a lettuce salad is great for you (assuming it’s made with dark greens), but not if it’s loaded with cheese, croutons, bacon, and creamy dressings.  Today I thought we’d take a look at some other foods that are food for us, but only if it’s prepared with health in mind. Here’s Figure Friendly Club’s list of “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.”

So where’s the ugly? Well, we could take each of the foods listed above a little further to make them ugly. Like fried fish slathered with tarter sauce, now that’s ugly! Or white refined grains like white bread slathered with butter, another ugly situation! Or how about a “fruit” drink from Jamba Juice like the Power Size Razzmatazz drink with a whopping 620 calories! Now that’s ugly!

Are you being realistic with the weight-loss goal that you set for yourself? Being realistic is one of the most important things to take into consideration when you’re setting your goals. If your goals are unrealistic, you’re likely to fail. You deserve to achieve the goals that you have made for yourself, so set yourself up for success! If you weigh 210 pounds and your goal is to weigh 110 pounds in six months, it’s not going to happen. Realize that you should only lose about two pounds per week for healthy weight loss.

According to the Mayo clinic, to lose weight, cutting back on calories is needed.  Below is a table that shows what your daily calorie goals should be, based upon your weight, if you want to lose weight:

Eliminating breakfast to save yourself calories for the rest of the day is one of the worst things you could do for yourself! What you’ll need to do is incorporate healthier foods into your diet that are lower in fat which means they’re lower in calories. Take out all the fast food and the junk processed foods and start eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and you’ll have no problem achieving your daily calorie goal, all while feeling satisfied!

When I first started losing weight, I dropped my calorie intake to about 1,200 calories as suggested and then I started eating healthy whole foods and started exercising. In no time, the weight started coming off and I was able to meet the realistic weight-loss goal that I had set for myself.

If your diet usually consists of making a run to the drive-thru or ordering take-out, you’re probably not getting your fair-share of fruits and veggies (and no, the lettuce and tomato on your burger don’t count). Eating healthy means leaving the junk behind and incorporating fresh produce as a staple in your diet, so it’s important that you know how to clean it. Unlike packaged/processed foods that require no work before you eat it, there is some work involved when it comes to your fruits and vegetables. Here’s a quick guide to getting all your produce clean so it’s ready for you to use. I recommend doing this right when you get home from the grocery store (there are a few exceptions to this) so that you don’t have to worry about doing it when you’re hungry and you want to eat.

Rule #1 – Wash everything! There really is no exception to this rule except maybe for mushrooms which I’ll explain below. If it came from the produce department, wash it!

How to wash nearly all vegetables: For most vegetables, you can fill up a clean sink or a large bowl with cool water and place your veggies right in the water and swish them around. For root vegetables like potatoes or carrots, you’ll need to get a vegetable scrubber and scrub them well before peeling. Just because you’re peeling the veggie doesn’t mean that you don’t need to wash it.  If there is bacteria on the vegetable, it can get on the peeler and spread to the part you’d eat.

Rule #2 – Always peel cucumbers unless you buy an organic cucumber that’s wrapped, or you grow your own.  There’s no way to get the wax off of regular cucumbers, and you don’t want to ingest it.

Rule #3 - Dry everything! Once it’s all washed, you’ll want to dry it unless you’re going to be cooking it immediately. For lettuce and greens, a salad spinner is a great way to dry them.  For other vegetables, just use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to dry them well.

About mushrooms: Mushrooms are extremely delicate.  Use a damp paper towel or a damp kitchen towel to carefully get any dirt off of the mushrooms. Never run them under water.

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How to wash nearly all fruits: Most fruits should be washed similar to the way you wash vegetables.  Fill a sink will water and let them soak even if you’re going to end up peeling it or cutting it.

Rule #4 - Do not pre-wash berries.  When you bring berries home from the store, do not pre-wash them because they’ll get soggy, and they’ll mold quicker. When you’re ready to use your berries, give them a quick rinse before using them.

Rule #5 – If you plan on using the zest from citrus fruits like lemons, limes, or oranges, be sure to give them a good scrub.

I’m one of those that often times can’t figure out what else to make with a main entree. It’s easy for me to fall back on sides like a small garden salad or steamed broccoli, and while I enjoy both, it’s always nice to find something different to do.  Today’s Figure Friendly Recipe is a super simple green bean salad that would be great with steak, chicken, or just about anything you could think of, and to boot, it’s healthy!

Recipe: Green Bean Salad

All you need:

• 1 pound green beans washed and stems trimmed off
• 1 cup yellow (or red) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 small shallot (substitute onion if necessary) thinly sliced
• 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley

All you’ll do:

1. Cook green beans in boiling water for about 4 minutes.  Cool in ice water to stop cooking process and to retain color and texture of beans.
2. Mix tomatoes, shallot, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil in a bowl with salt and pepper to taste.  Add green beans and parsley and mix well.  Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.

That’s it! In no time you’ll have a healthy green bean salad to go with any entree you make. They look tasty, don’t they? Enjoy!

Source: Chow.com

We know that chicken is one of the best lean meats for us, yet sometimes it’s hard to know what to do with it.  I’m always looking for different ways to cook chicken so that it’s tasty, yet healthy at the same time. Today I’ll fill you in on one of my favorite ways to cook chicken that may be different from something you’ve already tried. It’s simple, and delicious!

Looking for a different way to cook chicken? Stir-Fry it!

Here’s my recipe for Stir-Fried Chicken and Vegetables:

All you’ll need:

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• Chicken cut into small thin pieces (use a sharp knife or buy chicken pre-sliced)
• Your favorite vegetables cut into bite sized pieces (I use red pepper, peas, carrots, broccoli, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and any other veggie that sounds good that day like asparagus, squash, zucchini, etc.)
• Soy sauce
• Black pepper
• Whole grain rice (brown rice) if desired. I usually cook 1/2 cup per person

All you’ll do:

1. Get the rice started – just follow the directions on the box for whichever rice you’re using. Using whole grain rice will give you more nutrients than white rice. You could also eliminate the rice all together.
2. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a large skillet or wok on high heat.
3. Add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked through (only takes a few minutes if the chicken is in small thin pieces).
4. Remove chicken from pan and heat an additional drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add your sliced veggies.
5. Season the veggies with black pepper, and any other season you desire.
6. Add 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce to the veggies to give in an Asian flavor. Continue to stir-fry the veggies until they’re cooked through. Don’t cook them too long because you don’t want them to get mushy.
7. Add the cooked chicken to your veggies and mix together.
8. Serve over whole grain rice.

Note: There are stir-fry sauces that you can buy, however I stay away from them. I find that just soy sauce is enough to flavor it just right!

Enjoy!